Why are you still keeping that thing that you really don’t want?          

Items of Woe.

• Are your feelings associated with them

         good or bad?

• How does an item end up getting

         a hold on you?

• Does the cost really match its value?

Let’s take a look at a few ways things get a grip and what we can do to break it.

“Well, my relative/spouse/friend gave it to me, and…”

Have you ever walked into somebody’s house and mentioned something about an item that was sitting on a table or shelf? You only noticed it because it was quirky and out-of-place and yet the next thing you know, you’re now the proud owner of this odd little item, and why? Because all this time they’ve secretly hated it, and your pointing it out gave them the opportunity to push it on you. After all, are you really going to outright scream ‘No way, I hate it!’ to their face? Now you are stuck with said knick-knack but who said you have to keep it? It seems we have an unsaid rule about hanging onto something that we hate because someone ‘blessed’ us with it. Just find someone else who likes it and say ‘goodbye’.

“Well, it’s broken, but I might be able to get it fixed – Or perhaps I could use it for spare parts…”

Honestly, there are very few items left that you could use the spare parts for. Back in the day, toasters and other appliances could be fixed by someone with basic skills – Technology has made that nearly impossible nowadays. Besides that, newer items are made a lot safer to use – If you haven’t fixed that item yet and it’s been broken for over a year, just throw the thing out! It’s taking up valuable storage space.

“Well, it doesn’t go with anything I have anymore, but I spent so much money on it…”

Oh my, I hear this all the time – People wish to rid themselves of an item, but they want the perceived value of their purchase price. A couch that was $2000.00 over ten years ago is not worth what you think it is! You just aren’t going to get out of it what you paid for it. I’m not talking antiques here; I’m discussing everyday furniture or appliances. The value of the item needs to be reconsidered if you want to replace it.

Why shouldn’t I keep them?

Maybe you never really thought about it before but in effect these items that you are keeping are affecting you in some way. They are taking up physical and mental space, and some of them are even making you feel guilty for considering throwing them out because they were given to you by someone you love. Some of them are making you feel angry, as they are broken and promises to fix them are wearing on your nerves. Ask yourself what would be motivating you keep these items, and find out what you’re going to do about it.

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